Truth Held Forth and Maintained, Part 1 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Concerning the true Sabbath, which ſignifies Reſt, to them who abide in Chriſt, who is the everlaſting Sabbath.
MAny are the Talkers of the Sabbath, and of the firſt days Reſt, but few are they that come ſo far in the Work of God, by Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, as to witneſs their firſt days Work in him, who is the true and everlaſting Sabbath, in whom the faithful have their reſting place, they are them which are come to witneſs the end of their Labour, which have their reſt in Chriſt, the true Sabbath. Now where People in their differing forms of Will Worſhip reſt from their outward Labour one day in ſeven, calling that the Sabbath Day, thinking thereby that the Lord of Sabboth will accept their will Worſhip, with their reſt from outward Labour, for his …abbath, they deceive themſelves, and the Lord of S…b…ath will reward them according to their own Works, by which they pre…end to ſerve him; for the Lord only looks at them who in in uprightneſs of heart labour againſt ſin, that by ſo doing they witneſs the effect of their Labour, through the Power of God, by Faith in Chriſt againſt ſin; for they that labour not ſix days againſt ſin, ſhall never witneſs the ſeventh Day Holy to the Lord of Sabbath, which proves ſuch Talkers of the Sabbath to be no keepers of any Time Holy to the Lord of Sabbath; and as to many ſuch Talkers about the Sabbath Day, on which they are more unholy in their Minds, as to the Lord of Sabbath, than on any other of the ſix days, in which Peoples Minds are exerciſed on things of Bodily concern, which being freed from outward Bodily Labour on the firſt day, which they call the Sabbath, their minds are more in the exerciſe of thoſe things, which are of no profit to the Soul, neither of ſo much profit to the Body, as their outward Labour is on the other ſix days of the Week; which things are manifeſted by their Fruits, as appears both in words and actions upon the firſt day, which they pretend a Sabbath to the Lord, in which ſtate they are Sabbath Breakers, and not Sabbath keepers; for all Time is to be kept holy unto the Lord of Sabbath; which if any obſerve a Day, let him keep it holy unto the Lord, and not to judge another mans Liberty in matters of Faith concerning the keeping or not keeping of a Day; for one man may be prepared, as from the Lord, to keep a Faſt unto him, when another man may not be called of God to d… the ſame; for every man is to ſeek God for himſelf; for the Lord hath promiſed, To be found of them that ſeek unto him with a pe…fect H…art, and with a willing Mind; for the Lord ſearcheth all Hearts, and underſtande…h all the Imaginations of the Thoughts, which if they ſeek him, he will be found of them; but if they forſake him he will caſt them off forever, 1 Chron. 28.9. 1 Sam. 16.7. Pſal. 7.8, 9. and 139.2, 3, 4. Jer. 17.10. Now in what men pretend to God, if in uprightneſs of heart they do not retain him in all their Thoughts, their Work is of no effect for the profit of their Soul, but further adds towards their Condemnation, which is matter of weight for People to conſider, how th…y ſpend their precious Time, which God hath given them in this Life, to make their Peace with him, through Faith in obedience to the gift of his Grace, which came by Jeſus Chriſt, the Lord of Life, and Everlaſting Sabbath of his Peoples Reſt, which for People to talk of, without a true believing in his outward Sufferings and in the inward Word of his Life, their Souls ſhall never find reſt in the Lord of Sabbath, who was buried, and roſe again the third day, which is the firſt Day of the Week, which in honour to that great …ork of Redemption by the Son of God and Lord of Sabbath, is worthily regarded and attended for the Worſhip of God in the Spirit and in the Truth, having the holy Apoſtles for Example, to follow them, as they were Followers of Chriſt and to mark them which walk otherwayes; then ſure we are to mark them whoſe Dreſs appears more like for Stage-Play than for the true Worſhip of God on the firſt Day of the Week; for where the heart is, there is the Treaſures alſo; and out of the heart proceedeth all evil Communications, which abundantly appears among People, who rather exceed upon the Day of their Worſhip, than at other times, when their Minds are exerciſed in things of Bodily Labour, which by their Fruits they are to be judged, that they live void of the true fear of God, or regard to their Immortal Souls, and ſo are as a People without God in the World, who have no true ſaving Knowledge of God by J…ſus Chriſt; they will talk of God and Chriſt, and of the Sabbath, without any ſpiritual ſence of his ſaving Grace by Jeſus Chriſt, the Lord of Sabbath, who is the everlaſting …abbath of his Peoples Reſt, where the Righteous ceaſe from their own Works, as God did from his, Heb. 4.9, 10.